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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · current · scale · fork · ground · stock · board · dip

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ground — a position
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. charge — electricity
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. ground — crushed
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stock — goods
  12. current — electric
  13. charge — in control
  14. board — a committee
  15. ground — the earth
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. scale — size or range
  19. charge — a price
  20. stock — shares
  21. board — to get on
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com